Atheists & Agnostics

mr blur

(7,753 posts) Thu Dec 10, 2015, 12:12 PM Dec 2015

International Humanist Group Issues Report on Anti-Atheist Discrimination Around the World

The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) has just released a 540-page report on the rights of non-religious people around the world. And the outlook is as depressing as you might suspect. Just look at all the countries guilty of “Severe” or “Grave” violations of freedom of thought (in red and black, respectively):

IHEU President Andrew Copson writes in the introduction:

In the past twelve months, the world has witnessed numerous horrific attacks and legal penalties specifically aimed at people accused of “insulting religion”. From Charlie Hebdo in Paris and the shooting at a free speech seminar in Copenhagen that followed, to the humanist bloggers murdered in Bangladesh; from alleged “blasphemers” crucified under ISIS or jailed by sovereign states, to alleged “apostates” sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia and Mauritania.

…

Despite the overall trend toward more severe violence and legal penalties, we do record a few improvements this year. In May and July 2015 respectively, Norway and Iceland abolished their extant “blasphemy” laws (although in Norway there are fresh concerns about regressive education reforms, a reminder that countries can make progress in some areas while slipping in others).

So there’s some room for optimism, though not much.

The extensive report is grouped by country for anyone who’s up for some very upsetting reading.

“True religious freedom is the freedom to believe and not believe,” said Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association. “The sobering findings of this report should move our elected leaders to stand up for religious freedom in the U.S. and around the world.”

D/L a PDF of the report from here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/70x41xfvr8ofi5q/FOT15-FULL-v0_2.pdf?dl=0

13 replies

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Highlight:

International Humanist Group Issues Report on Anti-Atheist Discrimination Around the World (Original Post) mr blur Dec 2015 OP

Nothing to see here, move along. Warren Stupidity Dec 2015 #1

Edit: thx, mr blur Yorktown Dec 2015 #2

But, China is an atheist country! Lordquinton Dec 2015 #3

To be fair, the report concerns itself with more than atheism. Act_of_Reparation Dec 2015 #11

But, China is Atheist Lordquinton Dec 2015 #12

What's up with Canada? edhopper Dec 2015 #4

Or Denmark or the UK? progressoid Dec 2015 #5

Old laws should be counted too Lordquinton Dec 2015 #7

Any report that shows the US as less unfriendly to freethinkers than the UK is nuts whatthehey Dec 2015 #6

Mostly Based on Legal Standpoints gelatinous cube Dec 2015 #8

I suppose, but to me that's a false metric whatthehey Dec 2015 #9

I've always lived here, it's a false metric for me to. mr blur Dec 2015 #10

The problem is that the laws are still on the books Lordquinton Dec 2015 #13

Warren Stupidity

(48,181 posts)

1. Nothing to see here, move along.

Reply to mr blur (Original post)

Thu Dec 10, 2015, 12:16 PM

Dec 2015

Yorktown

(2,884 posts)

2. Edit: thx, mr blur

Reply to mr blur (Original post)

Thu Dec 10, 2015, 12:17 PM

Dec 2015

Tried to download the report yesterday from the main site, I got a Google error report.

Your link worked. Thanks.

Lordquinton

(7,886 posts)

3. But, China is an atheist country!

Reply to mr blur (Original post)

Thu Dec 10, 2015, 02:54 PM

Dec 2015

They oppress religion and is paradise for atheist!

Act_of_Reparation

(9,116 posts)

11. To be fair, the report concerns itself with more than atheism.

Reply to Lordquinton (Reply #3)

Mon Dec 14, 2015, 05:18 PM

Dec 2015

If you read the report, China's low scores are derived from its repressive form of governance being antithetical to humanist values.

Lordquinton

(7,886 posts)

12. But, China is Atheist

Reply to Act_of_Reparation (Reply #11)

Mon Dec 14, 2015, 05:45 PM

Dec 2015

therefore your point is invalid.

edhopper

(34,848 posts)

4. What's up with Canada?

Reply to mr blur (Original post)

Thu Dec 10, 2015, 05:03 PM

Dec 2015

how can they be worse than us?

progressoid

(50,748 posts)

5. Or Denmark or the UK?

Reply to edhopper (Reply #4)

Fri Dec 11, 2015, 11:16 AM

Dec 2015

Seems like some of this is based on old laws that aren't necessarily enforced. I suppose one needs to read the 500+ page report to find out.

Lordquinton

(7,886 posts)

7. Old laws should be counted too

Reply to progressoid (Reply #5)

Fri Dec 11, 2015, 08:42 PM

Dec 2015

Even if they aren't enforced, they are still there and could be enforced. Like the stuff in holy books, as we have seen people will bring up any passage if they think it supports their position.

whatthehey

(3,660 posts)

6. Any report that shows the US as less unfriendly to freethinkers than the UK is nuts

Reply to mr blur (Original post)

Fri Dec 11, 2015, 02:07 PM

Dec 2015

gelatinous cube

(50 posts)

8. Mostly Based on Legal Standpoints

Reply to whatthehey (Reply #6)

Mon Dec 14, 2015, 02:47 PM

Dec 2015

Perhaps as a general society, the United Kingdom is far more accepting than many in the U.S., however, this chart is based on legal grounds. The United Kingdom has an established Church/Religion and some religious institutions are state funded for example (page 455 in the Dropbox).

This truly is a depressing chart, since the U.S. is the biggest yellow country and there are only a few, very small, green ones.

whatthehey

(3,660 posts)

9. I suppose, but to me that's a false metric

Reply to gelatinous cube (Reply #8)

Mon Dec 14, 2015, 03:30 PM

Dec 2015

I've spent some years in the UK and am in frequent touch with residents. It's certainly true that the church is state sponsored and that there is no equivalent to our 1A, but it's a legal nicety with no social or civil import. Religion has minimal impact on their lives, and the idea of having to worry about what preachers think of laws or social mores is completely alien to them.

mr blur

(7,753 posts)

10. I've always lived here, it's a false metric for me to.

Reply to whatthehey (Reply #9)

Mon Dec 14, 2015, 05:17 PM

Dec 2015

I could go to the centre of the city, stand on a box and proclaim that religion is a force for evil, Jesus never existed and people who believe are mentally ill and no-one would take much notice of me; some would nod, some would laugh and most would do what English people usually do when faced with someone telling them what they believe in the streets - get embarrassed for you and pretend you're not there.

Lordquinton

(7,886 posts)

13. The problem is that the laws are still on the books

Reply to mr blur (Reply #10)

Mon Dec 14, 2015, 05:51 PM

Dec 2015

which means that is the political winds shift there's nothing to overcome in that regard. In the US the creeping theocracy has been held at bay because of the 1st, if it weren't there nothing would be stopping the right from just establishing everything based on biblical stuff.

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